The Blood Pact
by Writergurl24
Summary: A serial killer becomes personal when he abducts Reid's schizophrenic mother. The killer leaves the team clues in the form of riddles and they must crack them in order to save Diana Reid before it is too late. Rated T just to be safe.
1. Missing

**A/N: So, here it is! The long awaited Criminal Minds fanfiction! I don't really have any other news, so I'm going to get right to the story! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or the adorkable Dr. Reid. I am not an FBI agent, just a paranoid fan who thinks there are killers stalking her everywhere. Thank you! **

**Yours Creatively, **

**~*Writergurl24*~**

* * *

"Reid?" came Derek Morgan's husky voice.

Spencer Reid set down the psychology book that he had been reading and looked up at Morgan. "Yes?"

"Hotch wants us to meet in the conference room."

"New case?" asked Reid, shutting his book and standing up. Morgan nodded.

"Yeah, and it doesn't look pretty," Morgan murmured.

"It can't be any worse than the other cases we've solved," Reid commented quietly. Morgan shrugged.

The two walked into the conference room and took their seats. As soon as they had, JJ began to speak, presenting the case to them.

"We've been contacted by the Nevada PD. There has been three abductions and three murders and they can't catch the victim. The body of the most recent victim was found yesterday, an hour from the Nursing Home that she was abducted from."

The picture of her body appeared on the T.V. It was extremely mangled and bloodied.

"Betty Ann Warner, 82 years old, was a patient in the Nevada Nursing Home. No one noticed she was missing until the nurse went to give her medication and found her room empty."

"Wait a minue," Morgan interrupted. "You're telling me that our unsub just took this woman out of a highly trafficked Nursing Home without anyone seeing her?"

"The Nevada PD looked into the Nursing Home's log and discovered that Betty Ann Warner had been checked out by a man named Erik Kellen checked her out to go on a picnic at Angel Park, where her body was later discovered." JJ finished.

"He most likely used a false identity and claimed to be a friend or a member of her church," began Reid. "That's the common ruse for serial killers who target senior citizens."

"The second victim is Ruby Erickson, 75, a patient from a mental facility nearby. She had an extreme case of Alzheimer's doubled with extreme hallucinations. She went missing and her body turned up later in a wildlife reserve."

"This guy is intelligent. He knows how to lure a victim as well as cover his tracks," Emily Prentiss thought out loud.

"The third victim is Goldie Peterson, 85 years old, a patient who received homecare. Her nurse went to visit her home to assist her last week and found her house empty. She placed a call to 911. The Nevada PD searched and found her body in a nearby forest."

"Does the fact that this guy preys on senior citizens tell us that he's impotent or just has something against the elderly, possibly stemming from his grandparents?" mused Rossi.

No one answered his question.

"There is one last thing. At each disposal site, the unsub left a message. It was carved into trees and then highlighted with what appears to be blood of the victim." The next slide on the T.V. appeared. Prentiss covered her mouth in horror.

"Oh my God," she whispered. Hotch began reading them out loud.

"The first one was found at Goldie Peterson's disposal site: _'Who makes himself a sheep will be eaten by the wolves'." _

"A proverb. This guy appears to be well-read," Reid declared.

"The second was found at Ruby Erickson's disposal site: '_Now the hungry lion roars, and the wolf behowls the moon'_," Hotch read.

"A quote from A Midsummer-Night's Dream by William Shakespeare," Reid spoke up, his face troubled.

"The last one was found at Betty Ann Warner's disposal site: 'For the strength of the Pack is the Wolf, and the strength of the Wolf is the Pack'," Hotch finished.

"Rudyard Kipling," Reid murmured. "All of the quotes have a connection to wolves. Maybe this guy thinks he's taking out the weaker members of society, like a wolf pack leader who is ridding his pack of the weak wolves," Reid thought out loud.

"It's possible," said Rossi. "We're flying down there now. See you all in the jet in fifteen."

* * *

Reid was packing his books into his book bag when his cell phone rang. He pulled it out of his pocket and checked the caller I.D. It read "Bennington Sanitarium".

"Hello?" he answered his phone. A female voice sounded on the other line.

"Dr. Spencer Reid?"

"Yes, what's wrong?" he asked. The woman's voice seemed shaky.

"This morning I was going to deliver your letter to your mother. I walked into her room to find that it was empty. I had security check the whole building. Diana Reid is missing."

* * *

**A/N: Reviews are much appreciated! Tell me what you think! Should I continue? **

**Yours Creatively,**

**~*Writergurl24*~**


	2. The Riddler's Message

**A/N: Here is the second chapter to my Criminal Minds fanfic! Don't worry, I'll be updating my other stories soon! I just wanted to give you something small while I work on a project for a local fair.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or the adorkable Dr. Reid! I'm merely a paranoid fan who believes that killers stalk her wherever she goes. **

**Enjoy!**

**Yours Creatively,**

**~*Writergurl24*~**

* * *

Reid stared out the plane window, watching the clouds drift past. He hadn't told the others about the call he had just received fifteen minutes prior from the Bennington Sanitarium, informing him that his mother had been reported missing.

"All right, Reid. What's up?" asked Morgan, sitting down in the seat opposite of him.

"What do you mean?" said Reid, looking away from the window.

"Spencer, you haven't even touched the book you brought with you to read. You always read on the plane," declared Morgan. "And don't think you can hide it. You're on a plane full of FBI profilers," he added as an afterthought.

Reid was quiet for awhile, deciding what to do. He didn't want the team to be worried about him or think he was getting distracted from the case that they were working on. On the other hand, he needed to tell someone or he would completely lose it and not be able to perform at his best during the case. He needed to tell Morgan.

"Morgan, before we boarded the plane, I received a call from the sanitarium where my mother lives. The lady told me that when she went to her room, it was empty. She had security check the whole facility. My mother wasn't there."

"Reid, I'm so sorry. We'll find her," Morgan said quietly.

"Will we? You know, Morgan, I'm starting to wonder if it wasn't one of her schizophrenic breakdowns. The nurses seem to think that maybe she thought she had to go to a lecture and slipped out of the building."

"You don't think that?" he asked quietly.

"Morgan, that building is highly guarded. My mother wouldn't be able to get out if she was having one of her hallucinations. They would know," Reid said thoughtfully.

"So what do you think happened?"

"I don't know..." he trailed off, lost in thought. Morgan clapped him on the shoulder.

"We'll find her, Kid."

"Please don't tell the others. I don't want them to worry."

"Don't worry, Kid. Your secret's safe with me."

* * *

When they arrived in Las Vegas, they split up into three groups. Each would visit one disposal site. Rossi and Hotch would go to Goldie Peterson's disposal site, Morgan and JJ to Ruby Erickson's disposal site, and Reid and Prentiss to Betty Ann Warner's disposal site.

Reid squatted next to the body, examining the positioning. It was obvious that the UnSub had re-positioned the victim for show.

"This is unusual. The way the UnSub positioned the body _post mortem_ shows either remorse or he wanted to get the media's attention," Reid murmured.

"What, you think it's an attention-seeking serial killer?" asked Prentiss skeptically. Reid looked up at her and shrugged.

"It's a possibility. The Mill Creek Killer also positioned his victims' bodies _post mortem_ in order to get the attention of the press. Killing isn't these guys' main motive. For the Mill Creek Killer it was popularity in the media," Reid rambled thoughtfully.

"So what's this guy's motive?" asked Prentiss.

"Unfortunately, we won't know until the others are done examining the other bodies."

* * *

They met up with the others at the Nevada Police Department, where they were greeted by the Chief of Police, Alexander Nicholson.

"Did you learn anything from your observation of the disposal sites?" he asked Rossi.

"Our team split up into three groups to visit each disposal site. Agent Hotchner and I went to the disposal site of Goldie Peterson's body. We gathered that the body had been repositioned _post mortem_. This may mean that our UnSub, or unknown subject, wants the attention of the media," replied Rossi.

"The UnSub may be wanting to get the media's attention on him so that he can perform his final act, his main objective, which is to kill the person he most wants eliminated. In the case of the Mill Creek Killer and the Hollow Man, who were both serial killers at large in the same city at the same time, they both got the attention of the media by killing prostitutes and then moved on to people in a more populated area," Reid lectured.

"So, are you ready to give my people a profile?" asked Nicholson.

"No. We need to talk with the caretakers of each victim and then possibly the family, but that can wait until tomorrow. Right now my team needs to rest," replied Rossi.

"Of course, of course," said Nicholson. "Thank you for coming to help us with this case." He shook Rossi's hand and the team filed out of the building.

* * *

The hotel they had reserved was lavish. One look inside the lobby could tell Reid that. They stopped at the desk to check in. Rossi had told them each to get some rest, but each of them knew they weren't going to sleep one bit. They all would stay awake late into the night, thinking about the case. They always did.

"Is one of you Dr. Spencer Reid?" the receptionist asked.

"Uh, yeah. That's me," Reid said, holding up his hand confusedly.

"I was told to give this to you." The woman pulled out a manila envelope. "Dr. Spencer Reid" was scrawled on the side in messing handwriting. Reid took it from her, puzzled.

"Who gave this to you?" asked Reid. The woman shrugged.

"I don't know. I couldn't really see him. He was wearing a hood that was pulled low over his face," replied the woman.

Reid slit the envelope open and pulled out the paper that was within. He read it quickly with his sharp eyes and looked back up at the team.

"What is it?" asked Hotch.

"It appears to be some sort of riddle," Reid murmured.

"Read it out loud." Reid cleared his throat and began to read the riddle.

"_Your worst fear has now become true:_

_What you value most has been taken from you._

_To find that which you most prize,_

_Follow the trail of the wise."_ Reid finished reading and looked up at the team.

"What does it mean?" asked JJ. Reid shrugged.

"I don't know."

Reid examined the envelope once more. He felt something else in it and pulled it out. It was a few seconds before he realized it was a lock of blonde hair tied together with a red ribbon.

"What does this mean?" asked Morgan. Reid was quiet for awhile before speaking.

"It means whoever sent this riddle kidnapped my mother."

* * *

**A/N: So that's it! Tell me what you thought? I have more awesome chapters coming up! Don't worry, my other stories will be updated soon, I promise!**

**Reviews make my fingers type faster! **

**Creatively Yours, **

**~*Writergurl24*~**


	3. Revelation

**A/N: Hey guys! Thanks for all the positive reviews so far! They really do give me ideas and help me write faster! Thank you so much for taking time out of your day to read and review my stories! It's much appreciated. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or the adorkable Dr. Reid! I am merely a paranoid fan who believes that killers stalk her wherever she goes! **

**Enjoy!**

**Creatively Yours, **

**~*Writergurl24*~**

* * *

Reid pulled the piece of paper out of his pocket and unfolded it, reading the riddle for the hundredth time. He had stayed up late reading and re-reading the riddle, but still it didn't make complete sense to him. He hadn't slept at all, and he was sure that was obvious. He was inwardly thankful that Hotch or Rossi hadn't reprimanded him for it.

"Hey, Kid, we'll find her," Morgan said from the driver's seat, clapping Reid on the shoulder. Reid shrugged.

"I hope we can. I just feel so . . . helpless," he murmured.

Before Morgan could respond, Reid's cell phone rang. He slipped it out of his pocket and glanced at the caller I.D., which read "Penelope Garcia".

"Hello, Garcia. I hope you have some good news," Reid answered the call.

"I wish, Handsome," replied Garcia. "That hair that you sent to Forensics was sent back with the test results. It's your mother's hair."

"Thanks Garcia," Reid murmured.

"I wish I wasn't the bearer of bad news. Tell Morgan I said hi," said Garcia, hanging up.

Reid was quiet for awhile before speaking.

"Garcia says hi," he muttered to Morgan.

"Forensics gave her the test results for that hair, didn't they?" asked Morgan. Reid nodded.

"What were the results?" he asked, his face showing that he already knew the answer.

"Positive. It was my mother's hair," Reid said quietly.

"We'll find her, Reid," Morgan assured him. Reid nodded and looked out the window, quietly disagreeing with Morgan.

* * *

The team made their way into the spacious building that was located in the heart of Las Vegas. This building was the Nevada Nursing Home, where the first victim had been from.

"Excuse me, Ma'am, we're from the FBI," Rossi said to the woman who was at the front desk. He held up his FBI badge. The woman looked up at them, her face alarmed.

"The FBI?" she trilled in a frightened voice.

"Yes, Ma'am. Is Laura Johnson here? We would like to ask her a few questions," said Rossi quietly, so as not to draw attention to their group.

"Uh, yeah. I'll get her right away." The woman got to her feet and disappeared down the hall. Rossi turned to Morgan, JJ, and Hotch.

"Let's split up. We'll get more ground covered. You three go visit the Las Vegas Psychiatric Ward, where Ruby Erickson lived. Maybe some of the staff can give you information on her behavior in the last few hours. Prentiss, Reid, you stay with me," Rossi instructed. Morgan, JJ and Hotch did as he asked and left for the Las Vegas Psychiatric Ward.

As soon as they left, the woman reappeared, followed by another woman with medium-length brown hair. They made their way to them and stopped before the three agents.

"Ms. Johnson?" asked Rossi. She nodded.

"Yes, that's me," she said quietly. Rossi held up his FBI badge once more.

"I'm Special Agent David Rossi from the FBI. This is Agent Prentiss and Dr. Spencer Reid. We would like to ask you a few questions."

"The police have already been through here and asked me questions," she said in a tired voice.

"We're from the Behavioral Analysis Unit of the FBI. We study the behavior of criminals and often pick up the details that the police miss," said Reid.

"What he means is that every detail you can tell us counts," said Rossi. Laura nodded.

They followed her into the empty staff room and waited as she bought a soda from the vending machine. When the machine had finally regurgitated a Diet Pepsi for her, she sat on one of the couches and turned to them.

"All right, I'm ready," she murmured.

"Did the man who checked Betty Ann out call ahead and tell you he would be picking her up?" asked Rossi. Laura shook her head.

"No. He just came in and told us he was bringing Betty Ann to a church event," she said.

"Do you think this could mean that our UnSub is a class one disorganized killer?" Reid thought out loud.

"Most likely," murmured Rossi.

"He knows enough to use a false identity and he's extremely well-read. This guy can't be all that disorganized," Prentiss argued.

"Not necessarily," began Reid. "The brain has two sides, two hemispheres. The left hemisphere of the brain is logical and orderly, while the right hemisphere is random and oftentimes disorderly. Criminology shows that sometimes UnSubs switch back and forth in dominance between these two hemispheres; one isn't completely dominant. Something like a Split Personality Disorder is an extreme manifestation of this. But generally, UnSubs are logical enough to use this to their advantage, but eventually they will slip to their right side once in awhile and may leave behind some evidence that we could use," he finished.

"Let's hope he doesn't hurt anyone in the process," muttered Rossi.

"One last question, Ms. Johnson. Does Betty Ann have any relatives that we could speak to?" asked Prentiss.

"Yes, her son Paul Warner and his wife Helen."

"Thank you for your time, Ms. Johnson," said Rossi, shaking her hand. The three agents filed out of the room and into the van.

"Well that was completely uneventful," muttered Emily.

"We'll do some more digging," Rossi assured her.

"I'll call Garcia. Maybe she can access some more information about Paul and Helen Warner and maybe even some about Betty Ann too," Reid said. He dialed the number that had Penelope Garcia on speed dial and waited.

"Office of the Oracle of Information, Penelope Garcia. Speak!" came the quirky blonde's voice.

"Garcia, it's Reid. Can you try to access some information on Paul and Helen Warner?"

"I can do more than try, Doctor. I _can_ access that information. I'll let you know when I dig it up. Oracle out!" she said before hanging up. Reid slipped his cell phone back into his pocket.

"She's accessing the information now. She said she'll call back when she gets everything," he informed the two.

"Perfect," said Rossi. "Now let's go see how the others are doing with the staff at the Las Vegas Psychiatric Ward."

* * *

Reid followed Rossi and Prentiss into the Las Vegas Psychiatric Ward, feeling a sharp pain in his chest. This place reminded him so much of the Bennington Sanitarium where his mother was held, and that reminded him that his mother was currently missing and he could do nothing to help it. He quickly forced his brain to move on to other thoughts so the emotion he was feeling didn't show.

They found the rest of the team in the middle of interviewing Patti Parson, the nurse that had discovered that Ruby Erickson was missing. Hotch noticed them enter the room, but didn't say anything, continuing the interview like nothing had happened.

"Mrs. Larson, did Ruby act strange the night before her disappearance?" he asked the woman. Patti paused for a moment before responding.

"Well, now that I think about it, yeah, she did. She kept saying something about the pack and a time to hunt or something like that, but she's a mental patient in a psychiatric ward. When you work here you learn to shut out all of their babblings as the product of their mental state."

"Hunting...," Reid murmured, lost in thought. Hotch stood and shook her hand.

"Thank you for your time, Mrs. Larson. We really appreciate your willingness to answer these questions. It really helps us," he said.

"Anything to help you out. I'm devastated that something like this happened. Ruby was a sweet lady. I can't think of anyone who would do this to her," Patti murmured.

"That's what we're here to figure out. Thank you again," said Hotch before turning around and exiting the room. The others followed.

"What did you learn from Laura Johnson?" Hotch asked Rossi once they were standing beside the FBI suburban.

"Not much. Only the names of Betty Ann's son and daughter-in-law. Garcia's getting information on them now," replied Rossi.

"We learned a great deal from Mrs. Larson about Ruby. Apparently Ruby had a fixation on wild and endangered animals, especially wolves. Her deceased husband used to own Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge," said Hotch.

"That's where her body was found!" exclaimed Reid.

"That can't be a coincidence," said Prentiss. "These murders sound personal."

Reid's cell phone rang. He dug it out of his pocket and checked the caller I.D., which read "Penelope Garcia".

"Hey, guys, it's Garcia. I'll be right back," said Reid as he moved away from the group to have some privacy.

"Hey, Garcia. What did you find?" he asked, answering the call.

"Your trusty Miracle-Worker has dug up the deets on these guys. Paul Warner is a Park Ranger at Angel Park where, get this, his mother's body was found. His wife owns a quilting supply store," she replied.

"I'm starting to see a pattern that I don't like," murmured Reid. "I'll tell the others. Thanks, Garica. You're the best!"

"You didn't have to tell me that, Boy-Genius. I _know_ I'm the best!" giggled the quirky blonde before hanging up.

Reid slipped his cell phone back into his pocket before heading back to the group.

"Garcia said that Paul Warner is a park ranger at the park where his mother's body was discovered and his wife runs a quilt shop," Reid announced.

"He worked at the place where her body was found? Doesn't that sound eerily familiar," Prentiss commented.

"That's what I said," agreed Reid.

Hotch's cell phone rang at that moment, interrupting their conversation.

"Looks like the phones are ringing off the hook today," Morgan observed.

"Busy day, busy case," muttered Prentiss.

Hotch slipped his cell phone back into his pocket and turned to the group.

"The Coroner's report just came in. Apparently on all three victims' bodies they found teeth marks near the severed jugular vein," he declared. Reid gasped.

"That makes the cause of death blood loss due to a bite that severed the jugular vein on the neck."

* * *

**A/N: Wow! This felt like a long chapter. For me to write, at least. I hope you enjoyed! Review and tell me your speculations! **

**Creatively Yours, **

**~*Writergurl24*~**


	4. Crying Wolf

**A/N: You guys wanted to know what was happening on Diana's end, so here it is! One chapter in Diana's point of view! I might occasionally switch from Spencer's point of view to Diana's, but that's up for debate. **

**Oh, and don't worry. The next couple of chapters will be far more intense! Reid hasn't really reacted to his mother's disappearance because they don't fully know what's going on yet. He will soon know though, and so will you... ;) **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or the adorkable Dr. Reid! I'm just a paranoid fan who thinks psychotic killers stalk her everywhere she goes! **

**Creatively Yours, **

**~*Writergurl24*~**

* * *

Diana Reid opened her eyes groggily and scrutinized her surroundings. Where was she? The last place she had been was at home, getting ready for a lecture. But what had happened after that? She couldn't remember. However, one look around her showed that she was definitely _not_ at home.

By the looks of it, she was in a forest and it was extremely dark. The leaves of the trees rustled sinisterly in the wind and their branches seemed to reach out to her.

"Ah, I see you're awake," came a deep voice from in front of her.

She sat up abruptly and he was there, on the other side of the campfire that he had created. The shadows hid him from her view. The memories all came back to her in one terrible, horrifying flash.

"Who are you?" she whimpered. "Where am I? What do you want?"

"You are in what I call the Wolves' Den. As for who I am, you may call me Romulus and I am here to make things better. You'll be strong soon. The full moon is coming," he murmured.

"I don't have anything for you. I'm just a professor of literature!" she croaked.

"I know who you are. I'm here to help you. I'll make it better," he said, talking to her in a soothing voice.

"What do you mean? Wait, you're one of them, aren't you? You're a doctor, or- or one of those psychologists, or-"

"I am none of those things. I'm just here to help," he said, interrupting her. "Now, I hear you like stories. After all, you're a literature professor."

All she could do was nod and listen while he began to tell her a story that she could have recited by heart.

"Once, a noblewoman by the name of Rhea gave birth to some twins. She had conceived these twins by Mars, the Roman god of war. She named the two boys Romulus and Remus, but you know what? She left them in the wilderness to die.

"They were found by a she-wolf, who took them in and raised them until they were weaned. She left them to fend for their selves until, at last, they were found by a shepherd.

"When they reached manhood, they decided to build a city where they had been found. The two argued about who should be the one to rule, and so Romulus killed his brother Remus. In doing so, he became the sole founder of Rome and was worshipped by his descendants. Fascinating story. Don't you think so?"

Diana whimpered and nodded her head. She wasn't sure what this man was up to, but she knew she couldn't trust him.

"Do you mind if I tell you another story?" he asked her. She shook her head, but of course she minded. She was sitting here like a child listening to stories when this maniac was holding her hostage.

"There once was a shepherd-boy who kept his flock near a village," the man began. "One day he decided to play a trick on the villagers and so he ran into the village, crying, 'Wolf! Wolf! Come and help! A wolf is attacking my lambs!'

"The villagers, being the kindly people they were, of course went to help him. When they reached the field where his sheep grazed, the boy laughed at them and they realized that they had been tricked.

"The shepherd-boy continued to play this prank on them until one day a wolf really did break into his fold and begin killing lambs. The boy ran to the village in a fright, crying, 'Wolf! A wolf is attacking my lambs! Help!' No one believed him, of course, and the shepherd-boy's sheep all died," the man finished cheerily.

"Aesop," stammered Diana.

"Ah, I see you're familiar!" cried the man in delight. "You needn't worry, Diana. I will help you. The full moon is coming and when it does, you'll be just like me!" He sounded like a child who was excited by a new toy they had just received.

He leaned into the firelight until she could see his face and grinned. She couldn't stop the horrified scream that escaped her lips at the sight. He frowned.

"Don't scream. I'm here to help you. Besides, no one can hear you. It would be- how should I put it? It would be like crying wolf."

Her body shook with suppressed sobs. The image of her captor burned into her eyelids, not going away even when she closed her eyes. It would be a sight that would haunt her forever.

* * *

Spencer Reid stopped before his hotel room and swiped the keycard into the slot. The door clicked and he opened it, glad to be able to rest after a long day of work. Of course, he knew he wasn't going to sleep that night. Not with his mother missing. There was something nagging at the back of his conscience and he didn't have a good feeling about it...

He deposited his book bag on the chair by the desk. He stopped, noticing something on the desk. He closed his eyes and reopened them. It still sat there, that paper with the note that looked like it was written with red ink...

The realization hit him: that wasn't red ink; it was blood. His eyes flashed across the paper, reading the short note within seconds.

_ She screamed, _

_But there was no one to hear her. _

_She was crying wolf. _

* * *

**A/N: There it is! A lot of you have been asking for a chapter in Diana point of view, so now you have it! I hope you enjoyed this! I had a lot of fun writing it!**

**Thank you to everyone who has reviewed my story! You guys are my superheroes! **

**Creatively Yours,**

**~*Writergurl24*~**


	5. Solace

**A/N: Thank you to everyone who has read, reviewed, favorited and followed! It really means a lot to me! I hope you enjoy this next chapter. Things are going to get really dark. Reid will finally find out what is going instead of just guessing. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or the adorkable Dr. Reid. I'm just a paranoid fan who thinks that psychotic killers are stalking her everywhere she goes. **

**Creatively Yours, **

**~*Writergurl24*~**

* * *

Reid crumpled up the piece of paper and threw it back on the desk. He pounded his fist on the wall in frustration, wincing when his hand smarted.

There was no doubt about it now. His worst fear really had become true, just like the riddle had said. He was fairly certain that the disappearance of his mother was linked with their current case. The UnSub had taken her.

His reflection from the mirror on the wall next to the desk caught his eye. He looked like hell. His dark circles were more prominent than usual due to his recent bout of insomnia. His eyes were bloodshot. He touched his cheek and discovered that it was wet. He hadn't even been aware that he was crying.

He rummaged through his book bag until finally his had closed upon what he was searching for. He drew out the miniscule bottle of Dilaudid and stared at it. He knew it had the power to render him unconscious, to forget about everything, and to see his mother again. He always saw her when the drug rendered him unconscious.

Someone rapped lightly on his door. Hastily, he stuffed the bottle of Dilaudid back into his book bag and hurried to answer the door. Emily Prentiss stood there, her face contorted into a look of worry.

"Emily?" said Reid, surprised to find the woman at his door.

"Spencer, are you all right? I heard pounding on the wall and I thought I'd come and check it out," she asked. Her eyes swept over his tear-stained face and he felt sure that she had at least some inkling as to what was going on.

"I received another letter..." he muttered.

"Oh my God," she whispered. "Spencer, do you mind if I come in and take a look at it?" she asked him softly. He shook his head.

"No, of course not. Come in," he said, standing aside to give her access to his room.

Prentiss made her way over to the desk and picked up the crumpled piece of paper. She smoothed it out and read it to herself. At last she finished and looked up at him, a pained look in her eyes.

"I am so sorry, Spencer," she whispered.

He was crying openly now, not caring whether she saw or not. She pulled him into a comforting embrace and they stayed like that for some time.

Reid felt a sudden flash of déjà vu. It had been a similar moment: a friend comforting him over the loss of a loved one. The only difference was that loved one had been Prentiss and his comforter had been JJ before.

"I just don't know what to do anymore," he whispered.

"Spencer, look at me," commanded Prentiss. He obeyed her, looking straight into her eyes.

"We _are_ going to find your mother. I will help you find this guy even if it means staying up every night and downing an entire pot of coffee," she declared. Reid smiled slightly.

"Thank you so much, Emily. That really means a lot," he whispered.

"Anytime, Spencer. Now, try to sleep, Handsome. We're going to be busy tomorrow," murmured Prentiss. Reid nodded.

"You're right, I need to get some sleep. Thank you again, Emily," he said softly. She smiled.

"I'm always here for you. You know that," she whispered.

"Yeah, I know," he murmured. She turned around and made her way back to the door of his room.

He watched her leave, feeling less alone than he had in a long time.

* * *

The team assembled in the work area of the Nevada Police Department, waiting to give a profile. Reid shifted nervously from foot to foot, wondering if they had enough information to give a truly accurate profile.

"Everyone, the agents from the B.A.U. are here to deliver their profile," began Nicholson. When they had everyone's attention, Hotch began to speak.

"We are looking for a white male between the ages of twenty-five and thirty-five."

"He's what we call an alpha male. He's physically fit, possibly attractive, and very charismatic. He would have to be socially inclined to lure his victims using the ruse that he did," continued Morgan.

"We believe that he has a 'wolf pack' mentality. He truly believes that he is doing right by eliminating the weakest members of society. He sees himself as a sort of pack leader," Prentiss declared.

"In a wolf pack, sick or weak wolves are often killed by the alpha wolf so that the pack will be stronger. This UnSub will not stop until he believes that he has rid society of the weakest 'wolves'," Reid explained.

"UnSub?" asked one of the officers.

"Unknown Subject," said Rossi. "This guy is a classic narcissist. The reason he carved those quotes into the trees at the disposal sites was so that he could relive what he did every time he reads the quotes. I'm sure if we took the time when we find him to search through his computer, he would have photos or even videos of everything he's done."

"The cause of death for each of the victims was loss of blood due to their severed jugular veins. We believe that he kills his victim by biting their throats," declared Hotch.

"One last thing," began Rossi. "We believe that this guy has already taken a new hostage, Diana Reid. We know that kidnap victims of sadists like this guy are usually killed after forty-eight hours, so work quickly."

"You heard the agents. I want you to look for people that fit that description while you're on your patrols. Also, check any forest, park, or wildlife reserve. He may be keeping his latest victim there," said Nicholson, addressing the officers. There was a chorus of "yes, Sir" before they each stood to their feet and began following the instructions they had just received.

JJ's cell phone rang. She stepped out of the room to answer it.

"So what are we going to do now? We have Nicholson's men alert and we've formed our profile. Where do _we_ start looking?" Prentiss asked.

"We can have Garcia look through employment records and see if anyone who worked or volunteered at Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge or Angel Park fits the profile. Family members of two of the victims worked there. Maybe the UnSub knew them," replied Hotch thoughtfully.

JJ stepped back into the room and slipped her cell phone back into her pocket.

"Guys, they just found a body."

* * *

**A/N: Dun dun dun... Everyone's gonna hate me now xD But it's okay! Because I know what's going to happen and you don't! :D **

**Thank you to everyone who reviewed, favorited, and put my story on alert! I LOVE YOU ALL TO DEATH! **

**By the way... you know that story that I was working on for a local contest? It got Grand Champion! :D **

**Creatively Yours, **

**~*Writergurl24*~**


	6. Running Out of Time

**A/N: It's me again! I have the sixth chapter here for you! Thank you everyone who has read and reviewed my story, it really means a lot!**

**Reviews make my fingers type faster! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or the adorkable Dr. Reid! I am just a paranoid fan who thinks psychotic killers stalker me everywhere I go.**

**Creatively Yours,**

**~*Writergurl24*~**

* * *

"What?!" exclaimed Reid, sure he had heard wrong.

"They haven't identified it yet, but it's a female," said JJ, a concerned look on her face.

Reid's heart stopped. It couldn't be his mother! The allotted time had not yet run out! Grief settled in him as he realized what must have happened. The UnSub must've panicked when he discovered the FBI was getting involved. He must've realized he didn't have much time to carry out his mission.

"He's devolving. We're running out of time," Reid murmured.

A hush fell over the group as they realized what they meant. In order to catch this guy, they had to wait until he killed someone else.

"Let's go check out the disposal site. Maybe we can gather more clues," said Rossi. The team began to file out of the building. Reid hung back, looking down at his shoes.

"Hey, Kid, you coming?" asked Morgan, who noticed Reid wasn't moving.

"I think I'm going to sit this one out," Reid mumbled.

"Reid, you know they haven't identified the body," said Morgan gently.

"I know... it's just, part of me wants to go and part of me wants to stay. I'm scared that I might be giving myself false hope. If it turns out to be her... I don't know what to do, Morgan," Reid whispered, his eyes downcast.

"I understand, Kid. I felt that way everyday my dad went to work and then when we were told he was dead... Look, the point is that your mom's a great woman. I'm sure that's where you inherit your big brain. If we do find her body, the only thing you can do is get revenge by helping us get this guy. We are all a team, and we're all here for you. We got your back, Kid," Morgan said, clapping him on the shoulder. Reid smiled.

"Thanks Morgan."

"Anytime, Kid. The team is waiting out in the suburban now. You gonna come with?"

"You know, I might just take you up on that offer, Morgan," Reid said, smiling slightly. He followed Morgan out of the building, not being able to help thinking that between Prentiss and Morgan, he might be able to get through his darkest moment.

* * *

The FBI suburban pulled into the park that was the disposal site of the latest body. The team got out of the vehicle and made their way over to the body. Reid hung back, bracing himself for what he was about to see before following the others.

The body was a female, as JJ had indicated, but this woman was a middle-aged brunette. Reid almost breathed a sigh of relief when he saw it wasn't his mother, though he knew it would have been inappropriate to do so.

Prentiss kneeled next to the body, examining it.

"This woman is completely different from his previous victims. Why is he suddenly changing his M.O.?" she inquired thoughtfully.

"She might be in the same age range as he is and could indicate a woman in his life that possibly caused a stressor," suggested Reid.

Reid kneeled next to Prentiss and began examining the corpse's arms that were crossed over her chest mummy-style.

"If he were acting out because of being provoked by a woman who looked like this, why did he cross her arms over her chest? The crossing of the arms after a murder usually indicates remorse. It's a funeral tradition that is still practiced today but first originated in Ancient Egypt. The Ancient Egyptians believed that by crossing the dead person's arms over their chest, it would protect the heart, which they believed was the organ of thought as well as feeling," Reid observed.

Morgan kneeled on the opposite side of the body where Prentiss and Reid were. He lifted the woman's sleeve up, uncovering a bruise the size of an apple.

"There's a bruise on her right arm. Do you think she was beaten before she was killed?" he asked the others.

There was silence.

Reid's eyebrows scrunched together as a thought flashed into his mind.

"What if he didn't change his M.O.?" he asked thoughtfully.

"What are you on about, Kid?" Morgan asked in confusion.

"I'm not sure yet. Once they identify the body, I need Garcia to look into her medical records," replied Reid.

"What for?" asked Morgan, still obviously confused.

"Well, the first victim was an elderly woman from a Nursing Home. She probably had a mild case of Alzheimer's. The second was an elderly woman from a Psychiatric Ward with an extreme case of Alzheimer's and a mild case of Paranoid Schizophrenia. The third victim was an elderly woman who had a Homecare nurse and was just physically unable," Reid noted.

"Where are you going with this, Kid?" asked Morgan.

"Maybe our UnSub isn't drawn to his victims because they're Senior Citizens. Maybe he's drawn to them because of their illnesses. We said in the profile that he has a 'Wolf Pack' mentality. He vies illnesses as a weakness," explained Reid. Morgan's face shifted into a look of thoughtfulness.

"So you mean he might not be killing his victims because of their age or appearance but because of their illnesses?" he asked.

"Exactly. I thinks he must have been suffering from some sort of illness and by examining these bruises, my best guess would be to say that she was a Hemophiliac," stated Reid.

"Hey, you three. Come look at this," said Rossi, who was examining a tree with Hotch and JJ.

Reid, Prentiss, and Morgan all made their way over to the tree. Once again, the UnSub had carved a quote into the tree.

"'Everyone, no matter how big and strong, could use a little help sometimes. Never be afraid to ask for help when you need it. What are we here for, if not for each other?' The quote is different this time. The UnSub doesn't mention anything about wolves," Reid stated.

"The quote obviously means something to him. The only question is: what?" asked Morgan. There was silence for a moment before Prentiss spoke up.

"He's asking us to help him."

* * *

Reid stood in front of the pin board at the Nevada Police Department, his eyebrows scrunched as he tried to piece together the clues that were pinned up. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Morgan walking up to him with a cup of coffee in his hand.

"Got anything yet, Kid?" asked Morgan. He took a sip of coffee and walked over to stand next to Reid.

"Well, I've been working on pinpointing the geographical location of our UnSub. You know, finding his comfort zone."

"And?" Morgan said, encouraging him to continue.

"And I found a pattern. All of the bodies were disposed of at parks, forests, gardens, or wildlife reserves where the victim or a member of the victim's family worked. I was just thinking about taking Hotch's advice and calling Garcia up to check employment records," Reid finished, turning away from the pin board and beginning to pace.

"Go for it," said Morgan. "I'm going to get Prentiss and Hotch to help me analyze the Victimology."

Reid turned back to the board and swept his eyes over it, looking for anything he might have missed.

"Oh, Kid, one more thing. Hotch and Rossi are talking about letting JJ hold press conference," Morgan called from the doorway.

"Thanks, Morgan," Reid murmured over his shoulder.

"Not a problem. You go back to using that big brain of yours and hang in there, okay?" Morgan said. Reid smiled.

"Will do."

Reid pulled his cell phone out of his pocket, flipped it open and dialed Garcia's number.

"Hey, Garcia, I need you to check something for me," Reid said.

"Anything for you, Boy-Genius," Garcia replied, answering the phone in her own quirky way.

"Could you check employment records for Angel Park, Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, Sunset Park, and Toiyabe National Forest and see if they have any workers or gardeners in common? I think the UnSub is disposing the victims' bodies where one of their family members work," Reid declared.

"You underestimate my abilities," giggled the blonde. "I'll find what you need, just give me a sec."

There was silence and the sound of typing before Garcia spoke again.

"I think I've got something. Victor Reynolds was the only gardener who worked at all of those places," Garcia stated.

"Thanks, Garcia," Reid murmured.

"You are most certainly welcome, Boy-Wonder," replied the blonde before hanging up.

"Guys, we've got him! Victor Reynolds, address: 218 Raven Street!" yelled Reid, rushing into the room where Morgan, Hotch and Prentiss were working on Victimology. He held up his cell phone, to which Garcia had sent the address.

"Let's go!" Morgan said, jumping up.

* * *

Morgan barreled into the door, forcing it open. He hurried inside. Reid followed him, his revolver held out in front of him. Morgan gestured for him to check the upstairs area. Reid nodded to show he understood and sprinted up the stairs, making as little noise as possible.

"Clear!" he heard Prentiss yell from the living room.

"Clear!" Hotch called from the kitchen.

"Clear!" Rossi's voice came from the dining room.

"Clear!" Morgan yelled from the bathroom.

He reached the second floor and sprinted towards the bedroom door. He tried the door knob, but it was locked. Bracing himself, Reid rammed his shoulder against the door, making it swing open.

A lone figure sat at a desk, reading calmly as if nothing was happening. He hardly glanced up as Reid entered the room.

"Victor Reynolds! This is the FBI! Stand up and slowly put your hands above your head!" Reid yelled, pointing his revolver at the man. The man put a book mark in his book and stood, doing as he was told. Reid holstered his gun and cuffed Reynolds.

"I've got him," Reid called into his radio.

The team watched as Reid led the calmest criminal out of the house.

* * *

The team pulled into the parking lot of the Nevada Police Department. Nicholson was already waiting for them, a troubled look on his face.

"Morgan, take Reynolds inside. The rest of us will talk to Nicholson. I have a bad feeling," Rossi ordered. Morgan guided Reynolds roughly into the building and the rest of the team got out of the suburban, making their way over to Nicholson.

"You have something for us?" asked Hotch, noticing a piece of paper held in Nicholson's hand.

"I'm afraid so. Take a look for yourself," he replied, giving the paper to Hotch. Hotch looked at it, his face contorting into an expression that matched Nicholson's.

"What? What does it say?" asked Reid. Hotch handed him the paper. Reid's eyes flew across the paper as he read the short note.

_The wolf has not been caged. _

"We've got the wrong guy," Hotch muttered.

* * *

**A/N: Oooh, we're almost to the end! It's getting good! **

**Thanks to everyone who read, reviewed, favorited and alerted! You guys are my HEROES! I love ya!**

**Reviews make my fingers type faster!**

**Creatively Yours,**

**~*Writergurl24*~**


	7. Back to Square One

**A/N: Hey guys, it's me again! I hope you enjoyed the last chapter! I am almost done with this fanfiction, I think! I believe I'm probably going to go to either ten or twelve chapters. Maybe more. We'll see. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or the adorkable Dr. Reid. I am merely a paranoid fan who thinks that psychotic killers stalk her everywhere she goes. **

**Creatively Yours,**

**~*Writergurl24*~**

* * *

"We can't have the wrong guy," argued Prentiss. "Everything in the profile pointed to him."

"We've been wrong before," Hotch reasoned.

"Hold on, I have an idea. Reynolds' laptop is still in evidence, right?" Reid asked.

"Yes. Why?" said Hotch.

"I'm going to call Garcia and have her hack into it. Maybe we can find something," Reid replied. He slipped his cell phone out of his pocket and dialed Garcia's number as Prentiss left to retrieve Reynolds' laptop from evidence.

"Reid?" the blonde answered the call. "I wasn't expecting you to call again."

"I know, but we just got a note from the UnSub," Reid said.

"What? But didn't you guys get him?" asked Garcia in confusion.

"Yes, we thought he was the UnSub too. It might be a long shot, but I think Reynolds may have helped our UnSub. I need you to hack into his computer," declared Reid.

"One serving of super duper secrets coming up, Boy-Genius," answered the blonde.

Prentiss entered the room again, clutching Reynolds' laptop. She set it in front of Reid.

"We just received Reynolds' laptop from evidence. Do you think you can-" he stopped mid-sentence when he saw the computer's cursor moving across the screen on its own. "You're already in, aren't you?"

"You bet your big brain I am," she giggled. "Now, what do you want me to do?"

"We profiled that this guy might keep photos of the quotes that he carved onto the trees. Can you search through his pictures?" asked Reid.

"Reid," groaned Garcia, "I like challenges. It's way too easy, but yes, I can search through his pictures."

A new window opened up on the computer and, after taking a moment to load, a picture popped up. The picture showed Reynolds with a woman next to a giant tree.

"Must be a girlfriend," Prentiss murmured.

They searched through the next thirty photos, which were all vacation photos, until at last they came to a certain photo.

"Oh my God," whispered Prentiss.

The picture showed the quote that had been carved into the tree at the first victim's disposal site.

"This makes no sense," said Prentiss. "The profile points to him and we have evidence, yet he obviously did not send those notes."

"Hold on," began Reid. "The handwriting on the notes is messy, showing that the UnSub is disorganized. Everything on Reynolds' computer suggests that he is organized. The pictures are organized into files chronologically by date."

"So what? You're saying that Reynolds isn't our guy?" asked Rossi.

"No. What I'm saying is that I think Reynolds might be helping our UnSub," replied Reid.

"That would make sense," murmured Hotch. "Usually when two serial killers are partners, there is a dominant one and a submissive one. If I had a guess, I would say that Reynolds is the submissive one."

"Garcia," began Rossi.

"At your service, Sir," answered the blonde.

"Can you check employment records to see if anyone worked the same shift as Reynolds at the disposal sites?" he asked.

"The info will be sent to your phones once I dig it up," said the blonde before hanging up.

"Reid, I want you to interrogate Reynolds," ordered Rossi.

"What? Me?" Reid asked in confusion.

"Yes. If he's helping the UnSub, then he probably helped him take your mother. He wants a reaction out of you," Rossi replied.

"Rossi, I don't know if I can do this...," Reid trailed off. He knew that interrogation was a skill, an art even, that he did not possess. The fact that his mother was involved with this case didn't make it any easier.

"Yes you can, Reid. I know it's hard, but this may be our only shot at finding the UnSub. Just play up his ego. Tell him he was clever for figuring out where she was or whatever. As long as you get him to open up," instructed Rossi.

"Yes, Sir," Reid mumbled. He knew Rossi was right. This interrogation was everything. He needed to do this in case it did yield valuable information.

* * *

Reid opened up the door to the interrogation room and shuffled in, weighted down by the box of evidence that he carried. He set the box down on the metal table and took the seat across from Reynolds.

"Hello, Victor. My name is Spencer Reid and I'd like to ask you a few questions," Reid murmured as non-threateningly as he could.

"I know who you are," muttered Reynolds almost inaudibly.

Reid was caught off guard. He knew Reynolds would say something like this, he just hadn't expected him to say it so soon.

"You do?" he asked.

"Yes. I know much more than you think I do. You are Doctor Reid, the brilliant man with an I.Q. of one hundred eighty-seven, you can read twenty thousand words per minute, and you have an eidetic memory. I also know that you are Doctor Reid, the slightly autistic man with a touch of OCD and possibly Schizophrenia."

Reid knew what he was trying to do. He was trying to intimidate him, trying to take control of the interrogation. Reid remembered the first rule of interrogation: never let it become personal.

"I don't care what you know about me. What I do care about is the families who are mourning the loss of their innocent relatives because you would rather play mind games with me rather than give me valuable information," Reid said angrily, his voice raising.

"Isn't that what all of this is, Doctor Reid, a mind game? You're trying to get inside my head with a few well-chosen words because you believe I know the whereabouts of a serial killer," Reynolds said, countering Reid's remark.

Reid slammed down the four photos of the tree carvings.

"We found these on your computer. Would you mind explaining them?" snared Reid.

"Certainly not. They're four pictures of four unique tree carvings," said Reynolds, smiling calmly at Reid.

"You and I both know that they're not just any carvings. These four quotes were found carved into a tree at each crime scene," said Reid angrily.

"Interesting," Reynolds commented without emotion.

"Here's the thing," Reid said, leaning forward. "You can either be arrested for withholding evidence or you can cooperate and receive a lesser sentence."

Reynolds was quiet, probably contemplating his situation before speaking.

"Fine. The address is 666 Pine Street."

Reid gathered the evidence and exited the interrogation room, shaking in anger and frustration.

"Reid," Rossi said, stopping him at the doorway. "I told you to get chummy with him, not to threaten him."

"It worked, didn't it? Let's go find this guy," Reid argued. He pushed past Rossi and set down the box, shaking even worse.

He was ready to catch the man who had kidnapped his mother.

* * *

The suburban pulled onto a rural street, which was in the middle of nowhere. A lone cabin stood at the end of the driveway, the smokestack belching out thick, gray smoke.

The vehicle came to a stop and the team jumped out. They assembled in a circle and listened as Hotch gave them instructions. Reid stared at the ground vacantly, unsure of what they would find in the building. Would his mother be in there? If she was, would he find her dead or alive?

"Reid, did you get that?" asked Hotch. Reid snapped out of his thoughts and looked up.

"What?" he asked blankly.

"You, Morgan, and Prentiss will go in through the back door. The rest of us will go in through the front," Hotch replied, repeating himself.

"Sounds good," Reid mumbled.

They all split up into their different groups and took their places in their designated locations. Reid drew his revolver, clutching it until his hands turned white as he waited for Rossi to give the signal.

"Go," Rossi's voice sounded over their radios.

Morgan slammed into the door, knocking it open and making the post clatter to the floor.

Utter silence greeted their ears.

Reid's sharp eyes swept the room until at last he spotted a human-shaped lump curled up on the floor several feet away from the team. The person uttered a muffled whimper and began rocking back and forth slowly. Reid approached the person, his revolver pointed in front of him. The person lifted its head and looked up at him.

He was staring into the bloody face of his mother.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry that this update took so long! I have been super, super busy with school, Volleyball, and extracurricular activities! I had hoped this update would be sooner, but it wasn't. Now that Volleyball is coming to a close, I will probably be able to update more often.**

**Yours creatively,**

**~*Writergurl24*~**


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